Some teams have changed their playmaker positions compared to last season. New talent has been signed in the draft and other established NFL quarterbacks have changed teams.
Who are the quarterbacks of the 32 NFL teams for the 2025/26 season?
Here are all 32 NFL quarterbacks for 2025 and their backups. Plus: How much do NFL quarterbacks earn this season?
The NFL quarterbacks for 2025/26
- Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray 1
- Atlanta Falcons: Michael Penix Jr. (9)
- Baltimore Ravens: Lamar Jackson (8)
- Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen (17)
- Carolina Panthers: Bryce Young (9)
- Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams (18)
- Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow (9)
- Cleveland Browns: Joe Flacco (15)
- Dallas Cowboys: Dan Prescott (4)
- Denver Broncos: Bo Nix (10)
- Detroit Lions: Jared Goff (16)
- Green Bay Packers: Jordan Love (10)
- Houston Texans: C.J. Stroud (7)
- Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Richardson (5)
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence (16)
- Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes (15)
- Las Vegas Raiders: Geno Smith (7)
- LA Chargers: Justin Herbert (10)
- LA Rams: Matthew Stafford (9)
- Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa 1
- Minnesota Vikings: J.J. McCarthy (9)
- New England Patriots: Drake Maye (10)
- New Orleans Saints: Tyler Shough (6)
- New York Giants: Russell Wilson (3)
- New York Jets: Justin Fields (7)
- Philadelphia Eagles: Jalen Hurts 1
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Aaron Rodgers (8)
- San Francisco 49ers: Brock Purdy (13)
- Seattle Seahawks: Geno Smith (7)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Baker Mayfield (6)
- Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward 1
- Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels (5)
Who are the new NFL quarterbacks in 2025?
There are a few changes among the NFL quarterbacks in 2025 compared to last season.
Quarterback Methuselah Aaron Rodgers, most recently with the New York Jets, is new to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers have traded two playmakers for Rodgers: Russell Wilson, their starting quarterback last season, to the New York Giants – and also his backup Justin Fields. He is now Rodgers’ successor at the Jets among the NFL quarterbacks in 2025.
However, there were several other changes among the NFL quarterbacks.
Geno Smith moved from the Seattle Seahawks to the Las Vegas Raiders, and Sam Darnold left the Minnesota Vikings for Seattle. J.J. McCarthy, who was drafted in 2024 but missed the entire last season due to injury, will now be throwing the ball for the Vikings.
There are also a few new names among the NFL quarterbacks for 2025. One of them is Cam Ward, who was selected first overall in the April draft by the Tennessee Titans.
Besides Cam Ward, there are only two rookies among the NFL quarterbacks for 2025 who are set to start: Tyler Shough, who was picked up by the New Orleans Saints in the draft.
Things are a bit wild at the Cleveland Browns. They have several playmakers under contract.
Deshaun Watson is gone, and Kenny Pickett (last season’s backup for the Philadelphia Eagles) and NFL veteran Joe Flacco are expected to battle for his spot. In addition, the Browns picked up “scandal-prone rookie” Shedeur Sanders in the draft, who also wants to become an NFL starting quarterback in 2025.
Things are also getting tight for other more established ball distributors.
Kirk Cousins has been cut by the Atlanta Falcons, where the veteran moved before last season and had a mixed season. He has lost out to Michael Penis Jr.
Daniel Jones, the playmaker for the New York Giants in recent years, is no longer on the list of NFL quarterbacks for 2025. He is now only on the bench for the Indianapolis Colts. The same goes for Mac Jones, who is now a backup for the San Francisco 49ers.
Everything remains unchanged among the Super Bowl favorites
There have been no changes to the list of NFL quarterbacks for 2025 among the Super Bowl favorites. All teams considered to be contenders for the title going into the season will start the new season with their familiar playmakers.
This includes the two Super Bowl teams from last season. The champion Philadelphia Eagles will continue to rely on Jalen Hurts, and Patrick Mahomes will continue to throw the ball for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Buffalo Bills (Josh Allen), Detroit Lions (Jared Goff), and Baltimore Ravens (Lamar Jackson) will also start the new season with no changes at quarterback.
And Brock Purdy remains the playmaker for the San Francisco 49ers, as does Joe Burrow for the Cincinnati Bengals.
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NFL quarterback salaries in 2025: Who is the highest-paid NFL quarterback?
Which NFL quarterback will earn the most in 2025/26?
Before the start of last season, five NFL quarterbacks signed new contracts: Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers), Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars), Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins), Jared Goff (Detroit Lions), and Dak Prscott (Dallas Cowboys).
Not only are they the top earners on their teams, but their salaries for the 2025/26 season are also the highest compared to other NFL quarterbacks.
How much will NFL quarterbacks earn in 2025 and who is the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL?
The salaries of NFL quarterbacks in 2025
Based on their annual salaries for the 2025/26 season, Dak Prescott is currently the highest-paid NFL quarterback in 2025. The Dallas Cowboys playmaker will earn $60,000,000 – just for this season.
Four players are tied for second place on the list of the highest-paid NFL quarterbacks for this season: Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills), Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals), Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers) will each earn $55 million for this season.
In sixth place on the NFL quarterback salary list is Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins with a salary of $53.1 million.
New to the top of the quarterback salary rankings is Brock Purdy. The San Francisco 49ers playmaker has signed a new contract that will earn him $53 million for this season, putting him in a tie for seventh place in the NFL quarterback salary rankings for 2025 with Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions.
Rounding out the top 10 are Justin Herbert (LA Chargers) in ninth place with an annual salary of $52.5 million and Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens) with $52.0 million for the 2025/26 season.
Where does Patrick Mahomes actually rank in the NFL quarterback salary rankings for 2025?
Mahomes, who signed the highest-paid NFL contract of all time with the Chiefs, is earning $45 million for this season. That puts him in 14th place in the league. Incidentally, Kirk Cousins also occupies this position, but he earns his $45 million annual salary sitting on the bench.
Ball-throwing veteran Aaron Rodgers, who has long since retired, still earns a whopping $13.6 million for his services with the Pittsburgh Steelers, putting him in 22nd place in the QB salary rankings.
At the bottom of the NFL quarterback salaries for 2025 is rookie Tyler Shough of the New Orleans Saints with $2.7 million for this season. This makes him the lowest-paid starter among NFL quarterbacks in 2025.
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An overview of the NFL quarterbacks’ backups in 2025:
AFC East
- Buffalo Bills: Mitch Trubisky
- Miami Dolphins: Zach Wilson
- New England Patriots: Joshua Dobbs
- New York Jets: Tyrod Taylor
AFC North
- Baltimore Ravens: Cooper Rush
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Mason Rudolph
- Cleveland Browns: Kenny Pickett
- Cincinnati Bengals: Jake Browning
AFC South
- Houston Texans: Davis Mills
- Indianapolis Colts: Daniel Jones
- Tennessee Titans: Will Levis
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Nick Mullens
AFC West
- Kansas City Chiefs: Gardner Minshew II
- Las Vegas Raiders: Aidan O’Connell
- LA Chargers: Taylor Heinicke
- Denver Broncos: Jarrett Stidham
NFC East
- Dallas Cowboys: Joe Milton III
- New York Giants: Jaxson Dart
- Philadelphia Eagles: Tanner McKee
- Washington Commanders: Marcus Mariota
NFC North
- Green Bay Packers: Malik Willis
- Chicago Bears: Tyson Bagent
- Minnesota Vikings: Sam Howell
- Detroit Lions: Hendon Hooker
NFC South
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kyle Trask
- New Orleans Saints: Spencer Rattler
- Carolina Panthers: Andy Dalton
- Atlanta Falcons: Kirk Cousins
NFC West
- Seattle Seahawks: Jalen Milroe
- LA Rams: Jimmy Garoppolo
- San Francisco 49ers: Mac Jones
- Arizona Cardinals: Jacoby Brissett
Various changes among the backups
There have been some changes not only among the NFL starting quarterbacks, but also among their backups.
The Kansas City Chiefs have added Gardner Minshew, who was the starter for the Las Vegas Raiders last season.
Other prominent names will also be filling the backup role in the 2025/26 season: Daniel Jones with the Indianapolis Colts, Jimmy Garoppolo with the Los Angeles Rams, Zach Wilson with the Miami Dolphins, and Mitch Trubisky with the Buffalo Bills.
